(1) FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method of producing processed foodstuffs by passing an electric current to foodstuff materials which is capable of improving the flavor and taste of processed foodstuffs produced by passing an electric current to foodstuff materials while enabling any and every one to provide delicious processed foodstuffs which are ready to be instantly served on the table, and an apparatus suitable for carrying the method into practice.
(2) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
I have developed previously, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 174050/82, a method of producing processed foodstuffs by passing an electric current to foodstuff materials wherein a foodstuff material to be processed, such as raw meat of cattle, a marine product, such as fish, or an agricultural produce, such as bean, corn, etc., is uniformly permeated with a salt solution and then placed in a container of insulating material which is open at opposite sides while a pair of electrode members are placed on opposite sides of the foodstuff material in the container. When it is desired to process the foodstuff material, an electric current is passed thereto through the electrode members which are brought into pressing contact with the foodstuff material, so as to generate Joule heat for processing the foodstuff material to provide a processed foodstuff which is thermally treated and sterilized.
In this method of the prior art for producing an electrically processed foodstuff, it is possible to instantly treat and sterilize the foodstuff material by Joule heat generated by the electric current without allowing the characteristic flavor of the foodstuff to escape to outside, thereby providing a thermally treated foodstuff which is rich in falvor and high in taste.
However, some disadvantages are associated with this method of the prior art of producing a thermally treated foodstuff by passing a current to a foodstuff material. In this method, it is possible to increase to a certain extent the amount of inosinic acid or glutamic acid which is instrumental in increasing the flavor and taste of the foodstuff when a foodstuff material is processed by passing a current thereto as described hereinabove as compared with a foodstuff which is not processed by the method. However, when it is desired to further increase the flavor and taste of the foodstuff after processing the foodstuff material by passing a current thereto, the end cannot be attained without using an additive, such as a chemical seasoning including a sodium salt, which would be added separately from the passing of the current. Besides, even if the electric current is passed uniformly to the foodstuff material, the Joule heat generated would be lower in temperature in portions of the foodstuff material which face the container of insulating material than in a central portion thereof, thereby making it impossible to uniformly heat the foodstuff material by the generated Joule heat to thermally treat and sterilize same and achieve uniformity in the flavor and taste of the foodstuff provided by the method.
The problems which the present invention proposes to obviate are as follows. In the method of the prior art developed by me previously for processing a foodstuff material by passing an electric current, it is impossible to increase by simple means the amount of inosinic acid or glutamic acid which is instrumental in increasing the flavor and taste of a foodstuff without using a food additive, such as a chemical seasoning, to thereby increase the flavor and taste of the foodstuff produced by passing an electric current to the foodstuff material. In addition, in the method described hereinabove, it is impossible to achieve a uniform temperature distribution in the foodstuff material processed by passing an electric current to generate Joule heat, thereby making it impossible to achieve uniformity of flavor and taste in the thermally treated foodstuff. These are the problems which the present invention proposes to obviate.